Looking for Him
by SolidFigments
Summary: This is about a demon who has a goal, to find...someone. But is this someone the person she's looking for? Or will destiny choose another? HieiOC, be prepared.
1. We start in the rain

Rain poured down on the empty road. Streetlights beamed on the pavement, the darkness making them seem bright. Everything was at peace. And everything was in place.  
  
Except her.  
  
Walking silently down the road, a lone demon was walking down the street, her fog-grey eyes stoic and impassive. Her blood red hair clung to her face. Keeping her pace, the girl lifted her hand to her collar, gripping the charm there. It was as black as ebony, but seemed to swirl a deep violet, the motion like an unheard rhythm. The shape was that of a tear. Sighing to herself, the demon closed her eyes, the rain falling on her cheeks and eyelids. She was looking for someone, someone that might help her find what she's been looking for, for the past seven years. Who she's been looking for. Looking at the houses she nonchalantly passing, she suddenly stopped at one particular house. The house was a mint-green, with a tree that looked as if it was made to reach the window it was near. Staring at the window, she saw the person that could help her. He had red hair, and bright green eyes. He seemed to be looking for someone. But not her. Sensing another's youki, the demon turned her head to where it seemed to be coming from. Narrowing her eyes, the girl followed the being as it jumped from another tree onto the tree she was looking at before. When she finally saw the figure's face, her heart sunk. The being had on a black attire and hair to match. The other boy's face brightened slightly, not enough for any human to notice, but this demon was too quick to not see it. The girl growled.  
  
".Kurama." The black haired one must've heard her. He quickly turned his head to her direction, his ruby eyes staring into her equally stone ones. Before the being could even think about going after her, she sped away from the house, masking her own youki. Not realizing that she was still near, the youkai searched once more with his eyes before jumping into the red head's room. The girl, watched them until the window was pulled shut. Gracefully, the demon started to walk again, this time going further up the road, heading towards a particular temple.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Kurama, I think I know that girl." Hiei whispered to his only friend. He has been staring out the window ever since the girl came out of the shadows and walked up the street. The boy Kurama sighed, shaking his head.  
  
"I doubt it Hiei. She is just another ningen if you ask me." Kurama replied, hiding the fact that he did indeed know the young girl. Rather well, in fact. Hiei scowled.  
  
"No, she wasn't ningen. I felt her demon youki. She's in our class it seemed, but she was fast. Too fast. She must really train herself hard."  
  
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you know her." Kurama countered.  
  
"Hn." Hiei muttered, sitting on the boy's bed, crossing his arms across his chest. "I still think I've met her, or at least seen her somewhere. Those eyes."  
  
"Hiei, I saw her too, I don't think-"  
  
"Well, I do think!" Hiei growled, the temperature in the room increasing. Kurama calmly stared at the fire demon, his eyes narrowing slightly.  
  
"Ok Hiei. If you say that you have seen that girl, then you have." Nodding, Hiei, sat up a little straighter, his youki going back to normal.  
  
"Now, I wonder why she stopped near your house."  
  
"She only stopped for a second, she looked like she was heading to the temple, the way she was going." Hiei closed his eyes, thinking to himself. Sighing, he opened his eyes, rolling them in the process.  
  
"Well, it doesn't matter. We'll probably never she her again." Hiei sighed, lying on the bed.  
  
"Speak for yourself." Kurama muttered, making a bed near his own.  
  
"You say something fox?" Hiei whispered sleepily.  
  
"No." Smirking to himself, Kurama laid on the make shift bed, already falling asleep. 


	2. At the temple

Last time: Our lone demon girl was walking toward a temple..  
  
It was peaceful in the dark, listening to the rain pitter-patter on the grounds of the Genkai temple. The demonesses who lived in the building were wide awake, despite the relaxing sounds. They knew what was to come. A young koorime sat neatly on the top stair of the temple, watching for who she was expecting. Suddenly the girl spotted another through the rain. Standing up, the ice maiden swiftly ran down the steps of the large temple, meeting with the other demoness at the bottom.  
  
Clutching her body for warmth, the said demoness shivered slightly, walking toward the worried koorime. Stopping in front of the red headed girl, the ice maiden shook her head, her own mint-green hair dripping.  
  
"Oh Etaila, what are you -doing- out her in the rain? You'll catch a cold.." Etaila looked up at the other demon, doing the best she could climbing the stairs while being pulled.  
  
"Yukina, please. I can walk myself." Etaila whispered, her voice soft. Yukina let go of the demoness, only to grab her again as Etaila wavered, almost falling forward.  
  
"No way. Lets get inside. Quickly now!" Yukina commanded, pulling on Etaila with a more sturdier grip. Running, the girls get into the temple, where a short, elder woman awaited them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Etaila, you made it in record time my dear." Genkai commented, looking over both girls. "I suggest that you both go and get a pair of dry clothing. Do it swiftly, we have much to discuss."  
  
In minutes time, both demonesses were dry and comfortable, sitting in a circle with a cup of tea in hand. Sipping their tea quietly, Genkai was the first to speak.  
  
"Etaila, why are you here, in the Nigenkai? You should be in the Makai with your brother." Yitiko, Etaila's brother, was an important leader in the Makai. He was the guardian of Etaila. The girl shook her head, her grey eyes darkening.  
  
"Yitiko left me." Yukina gasped, while Genkai's eyes widened.  
  
"Left you?! That's.. that's not possible! You are but 17, only a child-" Genkai started, but was interuppted.  
  
"Yea, well, not to him. And besides, I am at the age were I must start 'the goal'. You should -know- that Genki." Genkai's eyes glistened slightly at the childhood nickname Etaila gave her when the little demoness was a toddler.  
  
"True, I know, but it's hard to see you grow up." Grey eyes softening, Etaila nodded, a tiny smile twitching at her lips.  
  
"Ah, it must be a grandmother thing." Laughing, Genkai patted Etaila's hand.  
  
"Hai, I guess it is." Before the two demonesses got deeper into their memoriees, Yukina spoke up.  
  
"Etaila? What's your heart's goal?" in seconds everyone was serious again, and all eyes were on the red headed demon. Etaila flushed lightly, staring at her hands. She mumbled something under her breath, apparantly embarrassed. Yukina leaned in. "Well?"  
  
"Ok! My goal is to find the one that I'm to be with for the rest of my life. The one I share destiny with." Yukina blinked, then leaned back in a normal position. Putting her chin on her hand, Yukina rose an eyebrow. "And how is being in the Nigenkai help you out?" Looking down at her hands again, Etaila was about to say something, but stayed silent. This time Genkai rose one eyebrow of her own.  
  
"So you think you found him already huh." Etaila stared at the old woman, while Yukina's eyes practically popped out of her head.  
  
"H-how.." Etaila stuttered, the previous flush returning.  
  
"Dear, I have my ways," Genkai started, crossing her arms, "I'm not a phychic for nothing you know. I still have it, and your thoughts were just -begging- to be released." Yukina finally regained her posture, staring at Etaila.  
  
"And who might this guy be?" Etaila stayed once again silent, this time giving Genkai a death glare. Yukina turned to the woman, who shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"It's her secret."  
  
"But so was her knowing the mystery guy already!" Yukina countered, pouting.  
  
"Yes, but she guarded this one." Genkai glanced were Etaila was sitting, but found that she wasn't there.  
  
"Etaila?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
While the old lady and koorime were bickering, Etaila found the perfect time to sneek away. Without a sound the demon left the room, stealthily running towards the temple gardens. The rain was down to a drizzle, so Etaila decided to walk out into the green paths before her. Inhaling deeply, the demoness quietly walked into a random path, looking around and smelling each flowr she passed, her stoic facial expression melted away, releaving a beautifully calm teenager. Occupied in only nature, Etaila did not notice the figure squatted on a high tree branch, watching her every move.  
  
"Etaila.." 


	3. Hiei encounters Etaila

Forgot the last chappies. . . I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Last time: We were with Etaila, who in all desperation ran out into the gardens to relax her senses. Unknowing to her, someone is watching her... (So you don't get lost, the chapter is starting back with Kurama and Hiei. It'll make sense why I did this later.)  
  
Lying on Kurama's bed, Hiei silently watched the fox sleeping, wondering how he could sleep. 'Probably because he doesn't consider this demon a threat.' Hiei told himself, but a very little voice whispered another reason. Denying any emotion, Hiei shook his head and sat up. He felt way to wired for sleep. Swiftly, the fire demon put on his boots and cloak, grabbing his katana on the way. He was just about to jump out of the window when he heard a voice behind him.  
  
"Hiei, why are you leaving?" Hiei winced inwardly. Turning around, he was met by a pair of stern emeralds staring back into his own ruby eyes. Sighing in defeat only Kurama could witness, Hiei turned back.  
  
"I'm –just going to see about this girl. She could be more of a threat than you think." Shrugging, Kurama hid a small smile.  
  
"Fine Hiei, but I don't think there's anything to worry about. I'll leave the window unlocked if you choose to come back." Nodding, Hiei left, leaving Kurama to watch a blur of black head up to the temple.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hiei reached the temple with record time, just as the demon and Yukina were walking in. Hiei grimaced. Seeing his sister and knowing that she doesn't know tears him up inside. 'It's for the best." He thought to himself. Not forgetting his reason for going there, the fire youkai stealthily ran to the back of the temple, knowing that Yukina will probably take this demoness to Genkai. Finding the room that Genkai was in, Hiei quickly found a nearby tree to watch them in. It seemed that exactly when he had gotten comfortable was when the two girls came in, Yukina eager to hear what the demon has to say, and the said demon looked in-between seriousness and happiness.  
  
For about an hour the demonesses talked, laughing a little and then suddenly growing serious. Hiei observed every change. He watched the demon intently, staring at her eyes. She seemed... different. Shaking it off, Hiei noticed that the demon got serious and blushed. Something was said, which caused the other two to start bickering. Not taking his eyes of the youkai, he watched her as she stepped out of the room with such speed that it made Hiei jump slightly. 'She's so fast...' He heard then Yukina and Genkai calling for her.  
  
"Etaila!" He heard Genkai cry out. Yukina's soft voice could not be heard at his range. Ignoring the two, Hiei jumped off the tree and to the place where the dem–Etaila was heading. The gardens. 'Kurama's favorite place.' Hiei mused to himself. Not stopping with his thoughts, Hiei reached the tree in the gardens amazingly before the demoness did. Just barely. She apparently slowed down when she was out of range with Yukina and Genkai, and walked gracefully into the garden's paths. Suddenly her face relaxed completely. Now her once stone-grey eyes were now a light, silver grey. Her wide, angled eyes made her look young, fragile. Walking down the narrow paths, she stopped at each flower, each one seeming to glow at her touch.  
  
"Etaila..." The fire demon whispered to himself. The name was familiar, but vaguely. 'Do I know her?' When she reached the center of the garden, she stood right in the middle, he feet together and facing the temple. The next thing she did made Hiei's eyes widen a fraction.  
  
Closing her eyes, Etaila raised her hands to the sky, humming a high pitched note. Not too high, but high enough to wake you up. Suddenly her body was surrounded by deep searing violet flames, crawling up her body. Etaila gasped in pain, but stood her ground, not giving in. The charm on her neck glowed strangely, for it was now pure ebony. Squeezing her eyes shut, Etaila calmly put her hands together in front of her, her fingers pressing against one another (1). Aruptly, All of the flames around her body rushed to the base of her feet. Her charm was now fully violet, not an inch of black peeking through. A deep echoing voice came from the girl (2); the sound struck fear in ningens, and made a demon's spine crawl at the power in it.  
  
"Le mie fiamme viola, andiamo."(3) She said, the sentence void of any emotion. With one swift movement Etaila pushed her hands out in front of her, her arms spreading open. The flames at the bottom of her feet suddenly rushed over the garden.  
  
"No!" Surprised by the voice, Etaila jumped and dashed to the opposite side, turning with agility to her opponent. Seeing whom it was, she dropped her battle stance. The garden still engulfed in the flames, Hiei sped over to Etaila with his katana out, ready to cut her to bits. Pointing to the infuriated demon, Etaila gave him a cold glare.  
  
"Arresti." (3) The demoness whispered. Violet flames escaped her finger and wrapped around Hiei, pinning him to his spot. Hiei tried to cut the flames, but no avail. Gracefully, Etaila walked right up to Hiei, about a foot away from him. She stared at him, then turned her head.  
  
"Look, I was helping, not burning." Growling, Hiei turned to look at the garden. His growl stopped immediately when the flames disappeared. What was left was I beautiful display of flowers. All kind were there, particularly lilacs and roses. Hiei might have stared a little longer, but a tingling sensation caused him to look down. Glaring at the flames holding him, he shot a look at Etaila.  
  
"Let me go." He demanded.  
  
"That's not a way to speak to a lady." Backing away from Hiei, Etaila crossed her arms across her lower abdomen, her fingers grabbing onto fabric over her hips. Her clothing was still damp, so she had to wear a kimono. Hiei sneered at the girl, his youki raising.  
  
"I –said-, let me go." He whispered darkly. Etaila, feeling his youki rise, started to laugh.  
  
"What the fuck is so funny." Etaila stopped aruptly, staring at her prey.  
  
"That was inappropiate," Etaila started, then sarcastically put a hand to her ear. "What's this? I think I hear Yukina and Genki calling me. I think I'll leave you here until I get Yukina out here. Till then, you must face the heat, or should I say numbness." Smiling a smile not showing happiness, Etaila started walking towards the temple.  
  
"Rialzo."(3) She called behind, leaving Hiei with a wink. Hiei growled and cursed at her, before feeling shots of ice and fire shoot into his blood, freezing him and burning him, even though he was a fire-koorime. The pain continued, not stopping or giving even an inch. If he could move, he'd be on his knees. Hiei clenched his teeth, but the pain was too unbearing. Unwillingly, Hiei let out a whimper, squeezing his eyes shut.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Etaila was still in the garden, unknown to Hiei. She was still going to get Yukina and Genkai, but she liked to take her time when torturing people. She didn't really like this trait, but it was something she picked up in life to help her hide. Only the people she trusted know her true colors... and only so many people she trusted.  
  
Suddenly she felt twinge of guilt. She really shouldn't leave him there. 'Wasn't that the guy I saw who went into Kurama's?' She pondered. Her eyes widened. That was Kurama's friend! Turning around, Etaila started to walk back, panic rising slightly. 'I hope he isn't dead yet.' She started walking faster when she heard a small whimper. Seeing her target, which was a good ten feet away, she stared at him. As if he could feel her stare, Hiei looked up at Etaila, His hard crimson eyes staring into her emotionless grey ones. Keeping their stare up, Etaila whispered one last word before running off.  
  
"Sensazione."(3) Suddenly all of the soul shredding pain was lifted from Hiei, but he was still bound. Breathing a sound of relief, Hiei stared at the temple, Etaila already gone to find his sister.  
  
"...Wait till Kurama hears about this."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(1) Think of the way people pray with their fingers not intertwined.  
  
(2) If you have seen Lord of the Rings, think Galadriel's voice.  
  
(3) Ok, I know it's not Japanese, but it's my character so... yea. It's Italian. Here's what everything means: - Le mei fiamme viola, andiamo~ My violet flames, go. - Arresti- stop (technically, 'you stop') - Rialzo- rise (she was rising the flame's temperature with her youki) - Sensazione- sensation (she didn't want to hurt him, and you will probably find out why I wrote that in the next chapter)  
  
I want to say thanks to all of my reviewers! There aren't many, but they are still review, and I appreciate every one of them! ^_^ 


	4. A little argument

Last time: Etaila and Hiei have unexpectedly encountered. We are with Etaila running to get Yukina.  
  
'Who is that demon? He was with Kurama, and Kurama knows me, so why would that one come here?' Etaila thought to herself, running quickly to the last room she saw Yukina and Genkai. Yukina wasn't there, but Genkai was still where she sat before. Turning around, the demoness was about to run to another room when a voice stopped her.  
  
"It's him, isn't it." Turning fully around, Etaila silently questioned the elder woman in front of her.  
  
"That demon out there, who you trapped," Genkai whispered, her voice slightly raspy from her old age. Making a gesture to a spot next to her, Etaila sat down.  
  
"What are you talking about Genki? I don't even know that demon." Etaila shook her head. "Do you know where I can find Yukina? I need to see her." Sighing, Genkai answered.  
  
"Look in the kitchen."  
  
"Thanks grandma." Giving the woman a small peck on the cheek, Etaila got up and ran to the said kitchen.  
  
"Yukina! Can you come here for a sec?" Looking into the kitchen, Etaila spotted the young koorime, beckoning her to come. Looking up from her work, Yukina nodded and followed Etaila into the garden.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
In the garden, Hiei was glaring at the flames around him. It was obvious that they were chaining him to the ground, but for some reason, even though they were holding something solid, they seemed like a liquid gas. Warily the fire demon ran his fingers through the violet flames. They were cool to the touch, and closing his fist, Hiei pulled some of it from him, pulling it away from where it was. He could still feel the cool sensation in his grasp. It felt liquid-like, almost like water. Releasing his grasp, the flames flowed up in the air, disappearing like a vapor. Looking back at the place where he ripped the flame from, he noticed that it grew back. Growling some more, he didn't hear the footsteps coming from the temple. He did, however, hear voices, and his head shot up. Hiei's eyes widened. 'Oh no, not her again. If she comes near me. . .' But the thought never finished as his sister came into view. 'Shit'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So, there was a demon watching you?" Yukina questioned, her ruby eyes widening. Etaila nodded.  
  
"Yea, and I guess he must have thought that I put the garden on fire. He lunged at me with his katana."  
  
"Katana?" Yukina questioned, racking her head for someone that uses one. 'Is it.'  
  
"Uh. . . yes, a sword, why? You think you know him?" Etaila asked, the two demonesses halfway to there destination.  
  
"Well, there is this guy that works for these people I know. does he have red eyes like me?"  
  
Etaila nodded again. "I guess, his eyes where darker though, and the red looked more like blood then the light ruby colored you have." Yukina stopped. Stopping next to her, Etaila turned to her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"How close were you to him?" Etaila's cheeks were slightly flushed, looking down guiltily.  
  
"Well, lets say I got close enough for me to mock him, and cast a torture spell on him-"  
  
"You did WHAT?!" Yukina yelled at her friend, who jumped back, not used to seeing her friend mad. Putting up her hands in a defense position, Etaila laughed.  
  
"Don't worry, I realized that he was Kurama's friend and put a soothing spell on him. Goodness, it's not like he's your brother or something like that." (a/n she doesn't know, but Yukina does) Sighing, Yukina shook her head.  
  
"He is my brother. Probably." Etaila's eyes widened. She was about to apologize when the said demon came into view. He was glaring at her, and obviously giving her a silent threat, but once he saw Yukina, he lightened up.  
  
"Hiei!" Yukina cried, running up to him. Looking at the flames, she backed away a little. "Um. . . Etaila? Can you please release him?" Sighing and shaking her head, Etaila whispered some words, and the flames released Hiei from his trap, the fire shooting to her charm on her neck. Right when the flames stopped, Yukina was hugging her brother, her eyes happier then before. It was evident that Hiei was tense, but didn't say anything.  
  
"Hey Yukina." He glared at Etaila, who was watching them from afar. The demoness glared back.  
  
"It's not my fault you didn't tell me that Yukina was your sibling."  
  
"Hn." Sighing, Etaila walked up to the two, stopping a few feet away from the fire youkai. Yukina noticed the anger coming off both demons, not to mention the heat of Hiei's body increasing, so she let him go.  
  
"So. . ." Yukina started, looking at Hiei, "Why did you come here?"  
  
"And stalk me?" Etaila added, crossing her arms, her grey eyes as dark as thunder-head clouds. Hiei glared back, but was also controlling a small blush trying to creep unto his cheeks.  
  
"I wasn't stalking you. You stopped in front of Kurama's house, growled his name, and went straight to the temple where my sister was. What did you expect me to do? Let a potential killer near Yukina?" Etaila paled in shock, her glare even more deadly. Grey eyes flashed, looking even colder as crimson hair fell down her shoulders.  
  
"I," Etaila started, her voice dangerously calm, "would never hurt Yukina. She saved my life, and is my best friend. And why would I choose to kill at my grandmother's temple?" It was Hiei's turn to pale slightly, but instead of glaring more, he shrugged.  
  
"I don't trust you. You still don't have an excuse for Kurama."  
  
"Well, that is none of your business. I don't trust you either. You tempted to kill me for helping a garden!"  
  
"Flaming a garden doesn't really say 'I'm helping the earth.'" Hiei shot back.  
  
"Why am I even listening to you?! You don't know me, stop making assumptions about me. You shouldn't be saying anything when you're the one watching me!"  
  
Yukina simply watched, fascinated by the emotions coming from both demons. But it quickly came to an end when Etaila turned away from both of them, walking quickly away from them, deeper into the garden. Violet flames came up at every footstep, the only sign of her anger.  
  
"Well, there goes Etaila. She'll come back later. She just needs to calm down." Hiei snorted.  
  
"Why would I care? It's not like she'd want to see me again."  
  
"I think you want to see her again." Yukina taunted gently, nudging her brother. Hiei growled, but it didn't effect his younger sister. "You guys had so much emotion in such a little fight. I think you guys have something."  
  
"And I think you're crazy." Laughing, Yukina turned away as Hiei flitted out of sight, his ki flaming slightly as it disappeared. 


	5. Who is peeking?

Last Time: After the fight Etaila and Hiei had, we are with Etaila, who's fuming in the garden.  
  
Etaila stomped into the garden, her charm on her neck filled with a glowing violet. 'He has no right to say anything about me. It's none of his damn business what I do and where I do it. The little stalker. . . I should have kept my torture spell on him, then maybe.' Lost in her thoughts, Etaila didn't notice her roses and other flowers trying to stop her until about six vines wrapped around her waist, stilling her. Sighing, Etaila stopped totally, carefully pulling the vines from her waist. Once one vine was free, another wrapped around her arm. Then if she let go of another, it would go to her legs. Laughing at the flowers, she continued to try to free herself from the playful vines until all of her tension was gone, leaving her feeling refreshed and content again. The charm she wore was now swirling violet in fathomless black. Letting go of their master, the vines silently slid off the girl, letting her pass.  
  
'Hm. . . it's almost morning. I'd better get back.' She started walking back, but every once and a while, she would turn around, searching the trees.  
  
'Maybe I am expecting to much. It's not like I want him to be there. . . watching me. . .' Shivering, Etaila raced back to the temple, not disturbing a soul.  
  
Silently she ran to her room, not even bothering to get changed, and lied on the futon there, falling asleep, her mind filled with the events of the day that passed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hiei woke up to the sound of his name. It was barely a whisper, but loud enough for his ears to pick up. Rolling over, Hiei groaned when the sunlight hit his eyes. Squinting, he could see Kurama's face looming over him. Blinking a few times, the fire demon glared at the happy face above him.  
  
"Nani. . ." Hiei whispered, unhappy that his slumber was interrupted. A soft laugh came from the kitsune.  
  
"Gomen Hiei, but you need to get up. We are going to see Genkai today." Kurama laughed again as Hiei's eyes widened.  
  
"You want me to die, don't you?" Shaking his head, Kurama moved away from the fire demon, grabbing some clothing from his closet and a towel.  
  
"Where are you going?" A gruff voice mumbled. Kurama sighed.  
  
"To shower. You should take one too. Shiori found your cloak and clothes in the bathroom. She washed them and folded them. I found them near my door." Hiei growled a little before getting up.  
  
"Baka ningen." He muttered to himself. Staring at the door Kurama was near, he got off the bed and cautiously looked out of it before grabbing his articles of clothing. He held his cloak up to his nose. 'Hn, now I'll smell like lilacs.' A picture passed in his mind, grey-silver eyes showing through. Shaking his head, he willed the picture out of his head. 'No point thinking of her.' Just as he looked up, Kurama stepped in.  
  
"Your turn."  
  
"Hn. Fine, but how do you take a 'shower?'" Laughing, Kurama led Hiei out of his room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Come on Yukina!! I need some sleep! I don't need to wake up for another hour!" Etaila whined, hiding her face from the disapproving look coming from Yukina. The koorime placed the demoness' own clothing on the ground next to her futon.  
  
"Wake up, Kurama and Hiei are going to be here soon." The sleepy demon shot up, all thoughts of sleeping disappearing.  
  
"Kurama's coming?" Yukina nodded.  
  
"And Hiei." Etaila rolled her eyes.  
  
"Why would I care?" Yukina made a delicate shrug.  
  
"I don't know. I guess you should get ready now, they will be here in about an hour or so." Nodding, Etaila got up, stretched and carefully folded the futon into a closet in the room.  
  
"Yukina, where are the hot springs?" Etaila asked, picking up her clothing. Yukina quickly told her where to go, gave her some soaps and a cloth, and left her.  
  
----------------  
  
Finding the hot springs, Etaila made some simple vines around it, not making a scene, but enough to hide her from questing eyes. Walking around the perimeter of the spring, she put the towel she found and her clothes near a corner so they don't wet. Walking up to the spring, Etaila gingerly peeled the kimono off and other vestiges she was wearing and stepped into the pool of water, the steam surrounding her. When she stood up, the heated water reached up to her hips, which she was comfortable with. Taking the soap, she lathered the washcloth up and started to wash her top half of her body. Closing her eyes she thought of a certain visitor coming over.  
'I can't wait for them to come! Kurama's coming. . . I love his silken hair, the color of the brightest rose, and eyes of the greenest emerald. . .' Etaila continued to think about Kurama, about the way he acts, the way he lives, and the way he was around her.  
'He was always so gentle to me, the way he touched me, the way he hugged me. . . his embrace was so soft. . . so comforting. . . so. . . brother- like.'  
Etaila blinked, rinsing her body. Dunking her head into the water, Etaila whipped her head up before rubbing a lilac-smelling substance into her crimson locks.  
'Sigh, that's probably all he thinks me as. A sister.' Feeling a brush of someone else's ki, Etaila's eyes shot open, immediately stopped lathering her hair, and crouched down into the water. Someone was watching her. Scanning the area she was in, she realized that the vines didn't quite reach the trees. Blood-red eyes made their way into her thoughts, and she glared for a second before her face went back to normal, except for the bright pink flush across her cheeks. Carefully she rinsed her hair out without revealing anything. Finally rinsing out all of the bubbles from her hair, Etaila looked at her towel. Summoning a vine, it slid around the towel and went towards her. Just as she was about to grab the towel, a small ball of fire hit the vine, making it fall and drop the towel in the spring.  
  
"Shit." Etaila cursed, her charm around her neck barely violet from stress. Growling in her throat, the demoness searched her mind for a way to protect herself. Then it clicked.  
  
"Sensazione." She whispered to herself, watching as the violet flames came up from her charm and body, covering her from her breast to her knees. Getting out of the springs, the flames protected her until she put on her clothing. Summoning the flames back, she silently brought down the vines and walked back to the temple, watching each tree as she passed by.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
He didn't expect to see her there, she just was. After Kurama tempted to teach him how to use the knobs on the shower, he left him in frustration, going to the springs in the temple where he usually bathed. He said his greetings to Genkai and Yukina, telling them where he was headed. Genkai looked like she didn't care 'Which was a good thing', but Yukina had this weird glint before saying 'ok'. He guessed she knew she was going to be there.  
Jumping from tree to tree, he noticed that around the springs were surrounded by a small bunch of vines. He couldn't feel any dangerous ki, so he jumped up to a tree not too far away from the spring. When he kneeled onto a high branch, he lost his breath for a moment.  
Down in the springs, with her back to him, was a demon. For a second he didn't recognize who she was, so he did what all naughty demons do. He watched her bathe. 'She's so. . . perfect.' Hiei thought to himself, watching the curve of the youkai's back as she started to rinse off whatever soap she put on her body. She turned slightly, showing off the curves of her body. He continued to watch her, but now she was facing him. A blush crept up on his face. 'Etaila?!' Looking away, he felt his body heating up. 'What is she doing to me?' Looking back, he hid deeper into the tree as she stopped washing her hair, looking into the trees. She glared at the tree he was in, but stopped it and blushed herself. 'I guess she found out who's watching her.' Hiei smirked to himself. Etaila continued to wash herself off, but stayed low in the springs. When she finished, she called on a vine to give her a towel nearby. Eyes glinting, Hiei playfully shot a fire ball at the vine, making the towel fall into the water. He held back a snicker as she cursed. Quickly she whispered a spell and was surrounded in her flames. Sighing, Hiei left the demoness alone and went back to the front of the temple. 


	6. Etaila meets new people

A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update n_n;; I didn't expect to, but lately I've been asked to update, so here I am.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own YuYu Hakusho.  
  
Last time: Etaila has just took off after her 'eventful' bath in the hot springs...  
  
"Yukina! You have a peeping tom for a brother!" Etaila yelled out to the young korime, who looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. Etaila's grey eyes appeared liquid metal as she glared at the ice maiden, before storming into the room she currently lived in. When the door slammed, Yukina couldn't help but giggle at her friend's antics. Moving from her spot in the kitchen, Yukina decided to stand in front of the temple, waiting for Kurama to come over. It was obvious that Hiei was there already; he'll come around later. 'Unless he had too much fun torturing Etaila.'  
  
---  
  
Kurama didn't know what to say when he witnessed Etaila running into the temple, soaking wet with a white towel wrapped around her. 'Didn't Hiei want to bathe in the temple's springs?' Curious to see if Hiei was there, Kurama went into the back before Yukina could notice and saw Hiei walk away from the springs, fully clothed and dry, save for his hair, which, despite defying gravity, appeared damp. Kurama's mind put two and two together and his eyes widened.  
  
"Hiei, you didn't..." Hiei looked at Kurama with cold red eyes, shaking his head.  
  
"No, fox, I didn't. She was in there, so I got her out of it," the demon answered, passing the surprised red-head and heading to the temple. He was stopped, however, by a strong grip on his forearm. Hiei turned to Kurama, who narrowed his eyes.  
  
"You didn't hurt her did you? Because if you did anything to harm her—"  
  
"Kurama, I told you, I didn't touch her. Why do you care anyway, you said you didn't know her."  
  
"... I never said that." Letting go of Hiei's arm, Kurama walked around to the front of the temple, not wanting to sneak up on Genkai and Yukina. Hiei glared at his friend's back. 'He knows her...?'  
  
---  
  
After a short while, Etaila emerged from her room, her hair now up in a ponytail and her normal clothing back on. She tugged her beige shorts down slightly, then fixed the straps of her white tank top, which was currently hidden under a huge black sweater that covered up to her thumb's knuckle, and fell do her upper thighs. Her shoulders were bare, the collar of the shirt way stretched out. Sighing contently, the demoness walked up to Yukina, forgetting what happened earlier that day. Leaning on the temple's walls, Etaila looked down the stairs, playing with a piece of hair that fell out of her ponytail.  
  
"When do you think they'll be here, Yukina?" Etaila asked absently, reaching to the charm resting on her chest. When Yukina didn't answer, Etaila pushed off the wall, walking to the top of the stairs, looking around.  
  
"...Yukina?" Just as she was about to run down the stairs, she was enveloped in a tight hug, then spun around. With a startled yelp, the demon pulled out of the grasp, turning around. Suddenly she smiled.  
  
"Kurama!" Hugging the youko tightly, "I thought you were going to come a little later! How've you been?" Etaila asked excitedly, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the temple. Getting him into the room where she sat with Genkai the other night, she hugged him once more before sitting down, patting the spot next to her. Kurama rose an eyebrow, but sat down anyway.  
  
"So Etaila, how are you doing? I heard that you left your brother to come here," Kurama asked, noting out jumpy and happy his dear friend seemed to be. What was going on in that head of hers?  
  
Etaila fidgeted slightly, before a slight flush appeared on her features. "Well," she started, looking into Kurama's eyes, "I didn't really leave, Yitiko and I just separated. He understood, on some base, that I was ready to go on in life, and I understood that he needed all the time he could have to run his part of Makai. I came here to see you actually..." she confessed, looking down. Kurama was just about to comment when a young man came running in, chuckling and moving in front of Kurama, crunching down. The other two demons looked at the black haired human skeptically, but understood him when he murmured that he was hiding from Hiei.  
  
And just as he finished whispering, Hiei zoomed past the room, unknowing that the other was in there.  
  
"Why is he after you, Yusuke?" Kurama whispered, before looking at Etaila. The human Yusuke held in another laugh before looking at Etaila, his chocolate eyes shining.  
  
"Because I told him something he didn't want to hear." Still baffled, Etaila stood up with Kurama and peeked out of the room, before snapping back in. Hiei now stood right in front of her, his eyes boring into hers. Etaila noticed that they were a fathomless blood red, and she distantly felt her charm jump and shake.  
  
They stayed in their positions for a moment before Hiei lost his patience and grabbed Etaila around the waist, pulling her to him and dropping her next to him before whooshing in, and standing in front of a laughing Yusuke sitting before a very confused Kurama. Hiei glared at him, but it didn't affect the boy as he looked up at him. He smirked.  
  
"Come on Hiei, you know I was only kidding-" Hiei was about to flame the ningen into ash when he felt the familiar sensation of being trapped. Etaila walked past him, lending her hand to Yusuke.  
  
"Hey, I'm Etaila." Yusuke took the offered hand and stood, shaking it before letting go.  
  
"Yusuke. I'm a friend of the old lady. Kuwabara is in this temple somewhere, probably molesting Yukina..." A bone chilling growl was heard from behind him, and Yusuke couldn't help but smile. Etaila frowned.  
  
"Molesting...?" Just as that word left her lips, an orange-haired youth came rushing in, searching.  
  
"Yukina?" Yusuke smirked.  
  
"That is Kuwabara." Turning at the mention of his name, Kuwabara's jaw dropped at the sight of the red-haired demoness. Etaila gave him a cold glare, instantly disliking the goofball. And from listening to Hiei's soft growls, it was obvious that he felt the same. Turning from the group, Etaila silently released the short demon before walking out, looking for her grandmother.  
  
---  
  
When Hiei was released, he gave Yusuke another cold glare.  
  
"How did you know that I looked in on her?" Hiei asked bluntly, staring at Yusuke. Kurama and Kuwabara's eyes bulged out of their heads.  
  
"You looked -in- on her? You said you didn't do anything!" Kurama protested, crossing his arms. Etaila was like his sister; -no one- looked in on her without her knowing. A very faint blush spread along the bridge of the youkai's nose, but he didn't say anything. He was still looking at Yusuke expectantly. How the -hell- did he know?  
  
"Hm... lets just say I have my ways." What really happened was that he saw Hiei look at something, and saw him blush considerably, so he continued his walk to the temple and saw the mysterious girl running in. He got her name and other details from Yukina.  
  
Hiei was about to make another comment when Kuwabara cut in.  
  
"So... is she hot?"  
  
Hiei walked away, but not before he saw Kuwabara hit the floor with a *thud.*  
  
'Humans can be such perverts.'  
  
-end of chapter 6-  
  
And there I end it with Hiei being a hypocrite. And isn't Yukina a little teaser?  
  
I noticed that I messed something up with Yukina knowing Hiei was her brother and blah blah blah... lets just say that she knows, just to make it easier on the story.  
  
Thank you for all of your lovely reviews. I wasn't going to continue it, but I think I'll try to. The thing is... I don't know where to go from here. Should I add another character? Should I kill someone off? Please, give me any suggestion you have! I'll try to update in a week or two, it depends on what goes on. Until then...  
  
Read it? Review it! 


	7. Etaila is thinking

A/N: Wow, people actually enjoy this story. I apologize for not updating sooner, but I've been busy with school and other obstacles, so... I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.  
  
Last time: Etaila was heading to Genkai for guidance...  
  
The garden at this hour was calm and silent; all of the creatures are heading off to find shelter for the night, and the sky was turning pink as the sun feel under the horizon. This time of the day was the one time where Genkai could sip her tea peacefully. Well, it -was-... until her granddaughter came along.  
  
Being her silent and swift self, Etaila found her grandmother, who started to walk about the tiled paths. Etaila slowed her pace and walked in sync with the elder woman. Her breaths were coming out in short puffs, and she fought to control her breathing. Her heart was pounding, and it was not due to her running.  
  
The two women walked in silence, one trying to find the words to say and the other going about her usual routine. Finally, Etaila spoke.  
  
"Grandma? Something is wrong with me." Not stopping their little walk, Genkai shook her head gently.  
  
"No, Etaila, you simply found out the correct answer." Etaila looked at her grandmother skeptically. Genkai simply continued walking, watching the wind blow against young leaves on an old cherry tree.  
  
Etaila wanted to ask her grandmother what she meant by that, but she decided against it; she already knew what Genki would tell her. ''You know the answer.' Yeah, that helps,' the girl thought to herself. Then something occurred to her.  
  
"Genki, are you talking about Kurama... and Hiei?" she asked quietly, staring at her fingers, which were fidgeting with her long sleeves. Genkai didn't answer her. She didn't look back either as she walked up the stairs to the temple. Etaila just stood at the steps, watching the pink-haired woman walk away.  
  
'I still don't understand... but then again...' She sat on the stone stairs, crossing her arms and leaning against the step behind her. 'Maybe I -do- understand.' She recalled her close encounters with Kurama, and compared them with Hiei's. There was always a warm, bubbly feeling when close to Kurama. But with Hiei...  
  
A rush of heat swept across her cheeks. When she stared into those ruby colored eyes, she felt intoxicating heat, and an emotion she never felt towards Kurama.  
  
"Desire," she whispered to herself, supporting herself on her elbows and staring up at the sky. She remembered the surge of youki when she was in the springs; did that mean Hiei wanted her? She didn't know. All she did know was that she wanted his hands on her, his lips against her skin...  
  
Etaila shivered at her own thoughts. Lust was a dangerous emotion. 'But is it lust?' Etaila wasn't sure. She just wasn't sure.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was dark when Etaila decided to go back inside. She had so many thoughts... she didn't know what to do. Being alone sounded more appealing to her, and she was now grateful that she saw Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Kurama leave. Gliding into the kitchen, the red head opened a cabinet, fishing for some kind of munchie to— well, munch on. When she stumbled upon a box of animal crackers, Etaila couldn't help but smirk at the thought of Genkai eating little lions and bears. Her smirk faded, however, when she heard soft whispering of socked feet shuffling across the floor. She turned her head and saw Yukina walk in, watching her curiously.  
  
"Did you just come in, Etaila?" the koorime asked, curiosity clear in her bright red eyes. Etaila nodded, then looked over her friend's shoulder. Hiei stood behind her, a scowl on his face. Etaila had a feeling that he always frowned like that. 'Wonder why...' Turning back to the cabinet, she grabbed the crackers and shut the cupboard door, but not before hiding her charm, which was currently pulsing, dimly glowing purple, and it was cool to the touch. 'That never happened before...' Opening the box, Etaila looked to Yukina, who was putting on a kettle of water.  
  
"Where you looking for me?" Etaila asked the girl, trying to ignore her brother's eyes staring at her intently. She could feel the gaze practically burning her. She couldn't even concentrate on the edible monkey in her hand. Breaking it's head, Etaila dropped the cracker on the table, along with the box, and turned to Hiei, her stony grey eyes and his cold ruby ones boring holes into each other. Etaila kept her arms limply at her sides. 'What is he up to?'  
  
Yukina answered the girl's question, preparing her cup for tea.  
  
"Yes, I was looking for you," she turned around, her cup in hand, "do you plan to... stay..." the cup, along with the smoldering hot liquid within, fell to the floor, glass shattering into a thousand pieces.  
  
Hiei had his arms wrapped tightly around Etaila's waist, pinning her to a wall as he kissed her.  
  
-End of chapter 7-  
  
Haha, I love a good cliffhanger. I don't know why I wrote that, but I know that I couldn't help it. I will try to get another chapter in soon, but I don't know when. Thanks to all of you who are still behind me on this one. I wuv you all! ^_^ 


	8. Broken glass, broken heart, possibly?

A/N: It's been so long… I almost forgot I even had this until I looked through all of my documents. I reread it and I've decided that you all don't need that cliffhanger anymore. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Last Time: Hiei and Etaila had just given Yukina the shock of her life.

-

Hiei wasn't quite sure how it happened. He was simply following Yukina, vaguely listening to her trying to persuade him to stay over the temple for the night. Like she really needed to do so; he would do anything for his sister, even if she didn't realize it.

No, Hiei was thinking about other things. Other people. Hiei's eyebrows burrowed at the thought of the confusing demoness. Who was she to invade his mind and make him do things he would never do in the first place? This was all her fault in his mind. As soon as he leaves the temple, the better.

But he wasn't leaving until morning.

When he and Yukina entered the kitchen, they spotted Etaila opening a box near the counter. She looked at Yukina before looking to him, and Hiei had to focus on keeping his fists to his sides and a blush away from his face. 'What is this?!' Hiei thought angrily, becoming frustrated when Etaila continued to stare at him. He barely noticed his sister talking, nor did he notice himself walking up to the red-haired demon. He only noticed the steely gray eyes staring back at him, and the one thought running through his head as he grabbed her, pulling her close to him.

'Maybe if I do something drastic, she'll avoid me, and this whole thing will be forgotten.' What he didn't expect, as his lips pressed down on hers, was the feeling of her pressing back. The fabric of her sweater brushed his cheekbone as she raised her hand to his cheek to keep him still.

That blew his mind. And Yukina's apparently. The sound of a glass shattering and a quick intake of breath was heard and Hiei practically flew away from the other, backing away.

-

'Did he just…' Etaila couldn't believe it. This demon, this _perverted, selfish_ demon, just kissed her. She didn't think her eyes could get any bigger. Or his. If it had been a different situation, Etaila might have laughed at the expression he and Yukina were sharing. But she knew that she had the same look.

It wasn't that she was simply surprised; she was, in many ways than one. Yet she felt something else as well. Disappointment? Loss? She could really think about it at the moment. She had to say _something._ The awkward silence in the room was not only deafening, but also stifling.

"… Eh, w-what was that about?" She inquired softly, hating the stutter in her question. The sound of her voice must have woken up both Koorimes, because Yukina immediately started to clean up the broken glass on the floor. Hiei, well… he just stood there, a confused look on his face. Etaila fidgeted slightly, not liking the look or the silence that was started to come back. She reached up and took her hair out, letting it fall over her shoulders.

She knew it was a mistake to do so when Hiei watched every strand fall down, his eyes focusing on her hair. Now the silence was starting to annoy her.

"Well, say something! Don't just look at me!" Hiei looked like a startled animal for a moment, but it passed, and he glared at her before voicing his thoughts.

"This is all your fault." Etaila fumed. Her fault?! _He_ was the one that kissed her, not the other way around! 'HE started it!' She silently berated herself for being so childish. Instead of yelling at him, she shrugged her shoulders, speaking evenly.

"And how is that? You are the one who molested me." Okay, so it wasn't the best way to ask the question, but he could be a little fairer. She watched him as he blinked at her, obviously surprised that she worded the question that way. He was about to look her in the eye, but decided against it. Instead he turned and walked out of the kitchen. Etaila huffed, but she didn't start after him. Instead she pulled up her sleeves and helped Yukina pick up the mess made on the floor.

'Just leaving like that. What is that?' She angrily scooped up pieces of broken glass, barely noticing the cuts she was receiving from clearing it away so quickly. Yukina only watched her as she dumped all of the shards in the trash, glaring the whole time. Once all of the big shards were thrown out, Yukina grabbed Etaila's hands.

"Let me do the rest. You should really clean those cuts out before I try to heal them." Etaila looked to the young Koorime before looking down at her hands. Yukina was right; many nicks and cuts littered her palms, and Etaila finally started to feel the sting. The demon laughed.

"It's funny how anger can cause me to not think straight." Yukina gave her a little smile as she walked out of the room, hopefully towards the bathroom.

-

Etaila was not going to the bathroom. No, she was simply going to her own room. She couldn't concentrate. 'How can he act like that? What have I ever done to him?' Once she entered her room, she pulled off her oversized sweater. 'Maybe I said something to him, or he hates me or something.' The thought of Hiei truly hating her made her stomach twist. No matter how confusing the youkai may act, she seriously hoped he didn't hate her. She looked back down at her hands and sighed. They really were in bad shape. She had no choice but to wash them out. 'The things I do when I think of you.' She thought towards Hiei as she carefully pulled off her socks and walked across the hall.

'You always make me feel—' She bumped into something before entering the bathroom.

"Inadequate," she spoke softly to herself, inspecting the lightly bleeding cuts. 'None of them have glass in them…' She thought to herself, turning on the faucet. She put her hands under the cold running water and sighed, looking into the mirror. Hiei stood there, staring at her again and Etaila jumped to the side, spraying water everywhere. He was wearing his sleeveless shirt, but his cape and boots were removed. Why didn't she feel his presence? 'And why is he always popping up in places when I have nothing on?' She thought almost grudgingly, suddenly feeling naked without her sweater on. She put her hands over her necklace.

"What do you want?" Etaila asked harshly, but she quickly bit her lip when Hiei's gaze dropped. She didn't mean it to come that way.

-

"… I overheard Yukina mentioning you bleeding, and I came over to see if you were okay." Hiei replied almost reluctantly. What really happened is that Yukina asked him to heal Etaila for her. 'I'd appreciate it, and you guys need to talk anyway. And don't try to get out of this one. I was there, so I _know_ you two need to talk.' Hiei almost glared before catching himself. When he looked back to her she was looking at her hands again. They were pretty damaged. Hiei sighed. 'Well, I have to do it anyway so…' squaring his shoulders, Hiei reached out and grabbed the demon's hands as gently as he could. Etaila flinched, but said nothing when he let go of the less cut up hand. He looked at her.

"Don't freak out. I'm just going to heal these cuts for Yukina." Etaila was about to protest, but her reply was silenced when Hiei slowly and gingerly ran his fingers across her palm. He focused on the bit of healing power he had and watched as all of the serious cuts closed and formed light scars, while the smaller ones vanished. He noticed in the corner of his eye that Etaila's necklace was glowing. 'She's not going to attack me…?' He glanced at her. She didn't look like she was going to attack him. Then what was it?

Hiei's thoughts went back to the kitchen when he released one hand for the other to heal. He remembered one thing when they shared that quick kiss that confused him. When he pulled her to himself, he felt a slow pulsing against his chest. Hiei narrowed his eyes as he finished her hand. Why would her necklace pulse? He came out of his thoughts when Etaila removed her hand from his grasp.

"…Thank you," she said quietly before grasping the now violet charm. 'Violet…' Hiei wanted to ask Etaila about it, but before he could say a word she spoke.

"Why did you kiss me back there." Her voice was soft, but strong. She looked straight at him. Hiei tensed. 'How can I tell her that I did it so she would leave me alone?'

"I…" He stopped himself. Why should he tell her anything? It's not like she has to know. She never has to know. Hiei kept repeating these thoughts as he looked back to her. She wasn't wearing that large sweater now, and without it, she looked so small. She was about his height, but you would never think she was short. Ever. She started to fidget and Hiei vaguely wondered if she was going to take anything off this time before mentally kicking himself. Not saying anything, he turned away from her questioning gaze before swiftly walking away and down the hallway. This time, however, she wasn't going to let him go again.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her grab his now bare arm. He was slightly impressed at her speed and ability to see in a dark hallway, but it vanished quickly. He can practically hear her smirk and slight anger as she spoke.

"I'm not letting you run away again." ' I Running away? /I ' Hiei thought angrily, though the anger was almost nothing, 'I'll show her.' Hiei spun around, and Etaila's grip fell away as he pinned her to the wall, _his_ hands on _her_ arms. She shivered under his hard glare.

"Running away? Let me tell you something," he whispered, his voice raspy, "for the past few days I've thought of nothing but you. Ever since I heard to say Kurama's name the night it was pouring rain. Why?! What the hell did you do?" He shook her the best he could with her against the wall. Etaila remained silent, and Hiei continued.

"I feel like you could burn me, a _fire demon,_ just by looking at me. Just by looking at you makes me feel like I'm at my highest point of power." He relaxed his grip on her arms, his hands sliding down to her wrists.

"Just hearing your voice makes me want to do things to you that I wouldn't know if they were anything but primitive." She shook again, but Hiei couldn't tell if it was fear or something else. He raised a hand to her cheek, stroking it softly. Her cheek was slightly damp, and his gaze softened, but only slightly. He dropped his hand in favor of pulling her away from the wall to bury his head into the crook of her shoulder. Etaila shifted but said nothing. She felt him breathing in before lifting his head back up, his gaze hard once more. When Hiei continued, his voice was stern, almost harsh.

"I don't want to feel like this. Like I need someone to stay alive. I… I don't want to see you again. I don't want you to look at me. I don't want _you_." He pulled away from her, backing into his room. Etaila only watched as the door to Hiei's door shut.

Without speaking, without the sound of footfalls, the sound of _breathing_, Etaila walked over to her room. She walked in and closed the door. She didn't change; she didn't take out her futon. She sat in a corner of the room, pulling her knees up and resting her elbows on them as she leaned her head against the wall. Closing her eyes, Etaila finally let the tears fall, and they wouldn't stop.

She finally understood what Genkai was talking about. She did found the right answers to her questions, to all of her confusing questions. She found who she was looking for. She finally found the one person she was destined to be with—

'And he never wants to see me again.' She let a small sob escape as she grabbed her necklace, the charm now swirling violet and black. With a violent tug Etaila pulled the necklace, and she heard the clasp break. Opening her eyes, she watched as the charm when translucent, as if it was empty. Tears blurring her vision, she tossed the necklace away from her. It rolled and fell with a silent thud. Etaila hugged her knees. She laughed a broken laugh.

'To think I only met him yesterday.'

-End of chapter 8-

A/N: Woo. I hope that wasn't too long of a wait…. Eh hehe ;; Hopefully the next chapter will come soon. I have to look at the other chapters again to see what to do next. Thanks again to all of the readers who are still reading this. I appreciate all of you guys .


	9. Who needs him anyway

A/N: I've decided to try to continue this story and finish it off. It's been two years since I've started it, and I think it needs to be put to rest. Though as I'm thinking of how I want this story to progress and finish, I realize that I don't really have any experience in the romance area, being only 16. But I will try my best, and I once again express great gratitude to all who read this story.

Last Time: Etaila was sitting in a corner in her room.

It felt like minutes— _seconds_, really—, but Etaila knew that it had been hours when the sky started to lighten up a few shades of blue. She knew it had been hours when she heard the quiet rustling of clothing in a room across the hallway. She knew it had been hours when, as she stood up, her joints stiffened from the sudden movement of her limbs from her. She knew, but it felt like seconds. The demon rubbed her eyes and sighed, leaning against her wall for support.

_That was the best night of my life._ Etaila thought bitterly to herself. She sighed again, turning to her sliding glass doors. On the other side was the garden she helped grow. _That's were I met_— She stopped herself and turned her head to the side, staring at the floor. She couldn't believe that she had only been at the temple for two days. _It feels like two weeks. Everything feels so out of place._ Everything was so messed up. She thought she already knew who the 'destined' one was supposed to be. It was supposed to be Kurama. Etaila was so sure. He fit everything that she needed for the rest of her life.

_How could it all change in one day?_ The thought held an angry note, and she opened her glass door and stepped outside, shivering when her bare feet touched the wet grass. The garden was always so enchanting when it was dark outside. The stone pathways and the deep green plants made the garden look old, and Etaila always sat at the middle of the place to gather her thoughts. She has always done it, ever since her parents died when she was barely a toddler. Why stop now? She silently agreed with herself and walked out to the center of the large garden, already feeling the weariness of her lack of sleep fading.

Once her feet touched the middle stone of the pathway, she sat down, sitting up straight and closing her eyes. She wanted to meditate, to clear up her thoughts and put them into I some kind /I of order. But despite being in her little 'peace circle', she couldn't help but feel bitter. Why did _he _have to be so complicated! It's not like she asked for _him_ as a lifelong partner. She had already chosen the one she wanted! Why couldn't fate see that?

Etaila frowned and opened her eyes, looking at the now lightened sky. Red and blue melded into purple as the sun started to finally rise. Taking a deep breath, Etaila couldn't help but sigh once more and fall backwards, softly hitting the stones. Ah yes, fate. Fate, fate, fate. It wasn't like she was some special type of demon. She wasn't half-bred, she was simply average. Well, not _average_ … she was full-bred. And in her family, it was tradition to find the one particular demon to spend the rest of your life with, as the rest of her relatives did. _And he's not even a full breed._ Etaila sat up. _That's right. He's half-Koorime. Then how does this work up?_ Etaila felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe it really _was_ only lust! _But my necklace— _ Her hand flew up to her chest, only to feel the skin of her neck. Etaila blinked before it dawned on her.

_I ripped it right off my neck…_ It never occurred to her that she _could_ take it off. She never did. Suddenly feeling the need to have it back with her, Etaila stood up and walked back into her room. The sky was now clear blue, and birds could be heard chirping madly, declaring their ownership of a tree. Everyone was up in the temple now. If you were close by, you could hear our demon humming an eerie tune to herself as she slipped back into her room. But there was just one problem, as she closed the sliding door and looked to the place where her necklace was thrown-

The necklace was gone. And so was Hiei.

How Etaila knew that our favorite fire demon was gone we will never know. But we do know one thing-

"Yukina!"

The young Koorime spun around just in time to see Etaila speed into her room, her red hair flying back.

"He's gone isn't he! He—"

"Yes," Yukina nodded, patting a spot on her futon, where Etaila promptly sat, "Yes, Hiei is gone. He left a while ago. It wasn't even dawn quite yet." Ah, so that was _him_. If he took her necklace, then she must have left just as he went into her room. _But why would he take it?_ The demon decided to keep the necklace incident to herself as Yukina continued.

"He wrote a note to me, actually. Imagine, Hiei writing a note." Yukina giggled to herself. "He told me that he doesn't know when he's returning, and that he wishes me well, and Genkai." _Not me, though._ Etaila felt the oddest sinking feeling in her stomach, and she put her hands to it to try to stop it. Ignoring the pain, she smiled and nodded.

"That's good. The farther away he is the better," Etaila replied distantly, tilting her head. They didn't know when he was coming back. It could take years. Maybe she should start doing something with her life…

Her thoughts were broken, however, when she saw her friend frown. "Etaila, where is your necklace?" Etaila stiffened, but quickly said that she put it away. Then she asked quietly,

"Do you think he's going to come back, knowing that I'm here?" Yukina looked to her friend sadly. She didn't quite know what happened between Etaila and her brother, but she knew it wasn't good. _She needs to stop thinking about him. He apparently doesn't want to see her ever again._ She recalled a part of the note where Hiei said that he had 'complications' at the temple. Yes, Etaila definitely needed to forget about him, or at least focus on what can be achieved. She looked back at the red- haired demon.

"I think he will, eventually. I guess we should give him time. But while he's not here, why don't you try to strengthen your powers? You always said that you could do better right? Why not show me some of it now?" Etaila smiled. She loved making little flames. She could do control. She concentrated on making a flame in the palm of her hand. And blinked. Why wasn't the flame forming?

"!"

"What's wrong?" Yukina asked, her eyes full of concern. Etaila frowned. As much as she tried, she couldn't conjure her flames. She could still feel her powers; the force thrummed through her all the time. Yet this time, it feels like… _Like someone locked it up and stole the key._ Etaila thought in dismay, suddenly feeling the loss of her necklace. _I have to act like a, a… a human._ Not that she couldn't; she just rather not.

"Maybe this is fate," she told herself in a musing voice. She looked to Yukina, her grey eyes sparking with determination.

"Things are going to change around here. I don't need Hiei! I lived without him before, and I will do it again. Now, are there any academies around this area?" Yukina nodded warily.

"Why?" Etaila smirked, standing up.

"If I am deprived my youki, then the only thing I need to improve is my fighting skills." I don't need Hiei in my life. Etaila thought as she strode out of Yukina's room and into the kitchen, leaving her friend confused. When she entered the kitchen, she opened drawers until she found a pair of scissors.

_I don't need to think about him._ She walked into the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror, a fierce look of determination written across her features. She fingered her hair, which rested a little under she shoulders. Lifting the sharp scissors, she leveled them to her chin, her hair between the blades.

_I will **prove**__ to myself that I don't need anyone in my life._ The scissors snapped, and long strands of blood-red hair fell to the floor, along with any new born hope to ever want to see or be with Hiei again.

end of chapter 9-

A/N: Alright, I want this story to finally finish, so hopefully I will have a new chapter up weekly so I can wrap this up. As you may or may not know, this I is /I a romance story, therefore there will most likely be a happy mushy ending. Unless I've feeling down, then expect heartache. We will see what happens next week!


	10. New people, but is this power new?

A/N: Well, here is the next chapter, like I promised. I plan to do a lovely… time lapse:Shrugs: I am going to start _three years later. _I feel that's enough time for Hiei to be gone. In the last chapter, someone mentioned to me the end of the chapter when Etaila cuts her hair. For those who didn't understand that part, I did it as a sign that Etaila wants to change _everything._ Even the physical. Oh! And to make things more understandable, they are in an academy that I am making up at the top of my head. It doesn't have a name. Not to mention that this chapter will be… kind of random. Yes…

Onward then!

Last Time: Etaila had decided that it was time for her to change herself.

"Etaila! Wait for me!" Etaila turned to the light voice, smiling when Yukina ran up to her, he uniform in a disarray. It's been three years… three of the best years of her life! 

"I'm sorry, Yukina, but I have to get to training before Adrian gets there," She tilted her head is a cute fashion, "You know how he is with our arrangements…" She giggled at Yukina's blush.

"Fine, let's go then." And away they went.

Yes, three years have passed since Etaila decided to live in the Ningenkai. Within a week of staying at her grandmother's temple, she applied to the nearest academy (along with Yukina, who was persuaded into it) and got in just before the first semester started. Since then she and Yukina have never been closer.

_Plus, Yukina has Adrian. _Etaila sighed peacefully to herself, eternally glad that her best friend finally met someone that was tolerable and not continually perverted. _Like some stupid lug I could mention._ Etaila glared to herself before forgetting about it. All that was on her mind now was their training. And train she will do. Etaila turned to Yukina.

_I can't believe that I ever saw her as weak._ It's amazing what three years of nonstop training can do to a person. Not only has Yukina toned, but also her powers seem to have strengthened, as well as her capability to fight. _She won't be needing Kuwabara anymore._ Etaila thought with a smile. Yukina turned to her friend, shifting her bag onto her other shoulder.

"What are you smiling about?" The Koorime asked curiously. The demoness shook her head before rubbing the back of it.

"I was just thinking about what we looked like _before _the amazing Adrian asked us to join his dojo." Yukina giggled, looking at the sky, her mint eyes shining.

"Do you think I could ever defeat him?" Etaila looked to her friend before entering the building they were heading to. The outside was plain and simple; the inside was were all of the action began. Literally. While walking down the hall, Etaila pulled back her chin-length hair, tying it up half way.

"Definitely. You just need some more self-confidence. And try not to look too much into his eyes… then you let your guard down." Etaila winked at the now red Koorime before entering the locker room. Yukina huffed before following.

"I won't let my guard down this time. I promise you." Etaila's laugh echoed through the metal lockers.

Two hours later Etaila and Yukina were walking out of the temple, with Yukina hand in hand with a tall young man. Etaila stared at Yukina, disbelief in her eyes.

"I can't believe that you actually beat _him_." Etaila said in an astonished tone, nodding over to Adrian. Adrian squeezed Yukina's hand reassuringly, but Yukina could only smile modestly.

"I just remembered what you said, Etail'," Yukina replied, looking up at Adrian, "I didn't make too much eye contact, and I focused on what I thought were his weak points. And it worked!" She chatted excitedly. Adrian smiled fondly.

"I knew you could do it. I saw your skill the first day you walked in." Etaila smirked.

"Oh, you mean when she tripped over a guy stretching and knocked into you?" She teased. Adrian could only smile sheepishly back, running his hand through his short, spiky hair.

"Well, she didn't really fall, now did she?"

The three continued to chat until they reached Etaila and Yukina's apartment. Adrian bid them both farewell, leaving Yukina with a kiss on the hand. The young Koorime could only stare back at the man before being dragged away. Once they entered their shared apartment, Etaila smiled.

The apartment wasn't too large. It was simple; two bedrooms, a bathroom, living room, kitchen. It looked traditional, with the few hints of modern design thanks to Etaila. She threw down her book bag and gracelessly flopped onto the large black sofa in the corner of the living room; it was her favorite spot in the house. She blew a red hair out of her eyes just as Yukina put on a pot of tea. _Old habits never fade._ Etaila thought to herself, recalling when Yukina made tea for Genkai everyday. _She always made enough for everyone too, even if she knew that some wouldn't drink it._ A brief memory of a teacup shattering skittered across her thoughts before vanishing. Etaila blinked slowly, trying to remember why the cup broke in the first place. _Was that when…_

"Hey, Etaila, do you want anything to eat? I'm making some ramen," Yukina asked, walking into the living room. Her aqua colored hair was now a thick braid down the middle of her back, wisps of hair framing her face. Etaila looked over her friend, now noticing the real change three years has given her.

Yukina looked taller; she was still around five feet, maybe an inch or two taller. She no longer wore a kimono anymore; instead she started to wear jeans, and long-sleeve shirts. She lost a lot of the innocence she harbored while staying at the temple as well; living in a co-ed atmosphere definitely changed that. _Not to mention Adrian._ Stopping her thoughts, Etaila answered, standing up.

"Sure, I'll have some. I'll clean up after dinner. Right now I have some work to do." Yukina nodded, and with that said they went back to what they were planning to do.

_Another lovely day._ Etaila thought to herself, sliding into her bed. She could see Yukina's light turn out as she settled in-between the cool sheets. The day went by smoothly. _Aside from all of the nostalgic feelings._ Etaila frowned at her own thoughts. Yes, today there were a lot of thoughts, thoughts coming back from a while ago. _But I am not going to think about then. I need to think about now._ She thought to herself, turning over.

Adrian was slowly but surely getting closer to Yukina. Those two have been together for almost a year now, and already Etaila knew that Adrian would be perfect for her friend. _He is kind, strong, and loyal. Everything Yukina really needs in someone._ Adrian is their sensei in the dojo they train at. He met Etaila when she was searching for a good trainer for her fighting skills, and he was the one most preferred by her and Yukina. Ever since he met the Koorime, there haven't been many days where they _don't_ see the dark-haired man. _Now look at them. So happy… _Etaila thought to herself as she fell into a gentle yet oddly troubled sleep.

Etaila woke up with a start. She shot up from her bed just as something strong and familiar started calling out to her, bringing her to her knees. She gritted her teeth. _What the hell…?_ With all of her will power she stood up. Her legs shook, but she managed, leaning against the nearby wall. Her room was veiled in darkness. Etaila ran a hand through her mussed up hair. What time was it? She looked to the clock.

5:09 A.M.

Etaila dropped her head, and she almost fell again as the unknown power called out to her again. It felt so familiar, like a good friend that hasn't been seen in a while… _But… I can't remember! _Her distress could have been plainly seen, had you been looking at her. Holding onto the wall, the demon carefully walked into her living room, trying to find the source of this power she felt. It wasn't getting any stronger; it was an insistent call, sweeping across her mind in a soft, caressing way. Etaila shrugged to herself before lying across the couch. She was not awake enough. _I'll look for the source later… _But whatever it was, it wasn't going to let Etaila sleep anymore. It continued calling, and with a whine Etaila got up, now cranky.

"_Fine._" She growled to herself, quietly storming into her room. She quickly grabbed some clothes and took a shower before writing a note for Yukina and leaving the apartment.

_This better be worth it._

End of Chapter 10-

A/N: Ehehe… yes, I am ending it there for now. What on earth could be calling for Etaila? And why can't she recognize whatever it is? I know that this chapter was a little random, but I needed to mention Yukina and Adrian another character of mine that I randomly created, because I needed something for Etaila to keep her thoughts on, as well as school and training.

So, tell me what you think? What will I do next? Find out next week. xP


	11. Memories remembered, people out of chara...

A/N: Finally! I have another screen. I didn't think I was going to make it… but I did, and I planned out this whole chapter on paper, so I am hoping that this one will be a good, _long_ chapter.

Last Time: Etaila felt a familiar pull and is searching for it.

By the time Etaila left her apartment, it was five-thirty, and the pull at her mind wasn't letting up in the slightest. _Why did it have to start before the sun, on my day off._ She thought bitterly to herself, pulling her beige coat around herself. The weather was unusually cold this morning, matching the demon's mood perfectly.

It wasn't the constant pull that was making her so upset, however. Etaila pulled the ends of her hair. _Why can't I remember this call!_ It sounded so familiar it hurt her, her own heart calling out to it in response. She followed her instincts and was now walking down a gritty sidewalk, seeing her grandmother's temple in the distance. She didn't know exactly _how_ she knew it was there, but she was certain that whatever this call is coming from, it was there.

Etaila shook her head. There had to be _some_ reason that she didn't remember what this… this _thing_. As she tried to look back before three years ago, she found that she actually couldn't remember anything. Her grey eyes unfocused at she reached the bottom of the temple steps. _I can't… remember._ It was an odd feeling; it was as if she had amnesia. As if her life didn't start until she began going to school. Fear shot through her, and she practically flew up the stairs. Whatever it was that was calling her, it would surely be the reason to why she couldn't remember her life.

As she ran up the stone steps, Etaila vaguely felt another power source, as well as the feeling that someone was watching her. She stopped at the top and spun around, expecting to see someone. She wanted to search for that too, but she was too wrapped around finding the first one. When she turned around to the entrance of her grandmother's home, she noticed a glint of glass in the corner of her eye. The sun was now visible, and Etaila walked up to what caught her eye, studying it curiously.

It was a necklace.

It was simple; it was a thin silver chain, and on it was a small, tear-shaped pendant. It was crystal clear and round, and looked as if it were hollow. Etaila stared at it for a while. It appeared to be the cause of her trouble, and she couldn't help but laugh. _It's only a necklace._ She thought to herself, but even her thought was uncertain. Why would such a simple piece of jewelry call out to her? _Maybe it belongs to me._ She thought, reaching out to grab it. It was hanging off the mantel of the temple's doorway, so she had to reach up to grab it. When she did, everything she had forgotten— her brother, her powers, her _childhood_— they all flew at her, causing a sharp pain in the font of her head. _Wh-what's happening…_ Was her last thought as she hit the temple floor, the pendent in her grasp turning black, and two strips of color swirled around each other; violet and crimson.

_It's been three years. Three years… without her._ Hiei perched himself on a tree not too far away from the temple. He watched as Etaila grabbed her necklace and fall to the ground. Hiei sighed to himself, letting his tired eyes close. _I should never have taken that necklace, _he thought to himself, feeling an odd mix of denial and regret. He recalled on old memories as her leaned against the trunk of the tree, opening his eyes.

When he entered her room three years ago, he had no intention of taking anything. In a way, he felt guilty; not that he'd ever admit it. And for some reason, the urge to see the demon once more before leaving was too strong to ignore. When he pushed open the door, he was surprised that instead of seeing Etaila sleeping, he found nothing but the huge sweater the demon wore. That, and her necklace lying innocently against the molding of the wall. He stared at it for a while, before picking it up. The jewel hummed pleasantly, and he could feel remnants of Etaila's ki within it. Without thinking, he snapped it on, letting it rest next to the tear gem he always wore. He looked at the room once more before leaving without looking back.

As the years passed by, things started to get weird. Every once in a while Hiei would suddenly remember a memory that wasn't his own. He knew thoughts that he didn't think, emotions he didn't feel. _All of Etaila's past._ What was also different was the jewel itself. It turned black, but now instead of the violet color swimming with the ebony, there was a deep, crimson color, only slightly brighter than his own blood red eyes.

So for the past three years he has thought of nothing but the red-haired demon. There were countless dreams, memories of her whole life, right up to the end, when she ripped the necklace of her neck and threw it away from her. All of her memories were taking their toll on him, and now that she had her pendant back, all of her thoughts fled his mind. A whisper of a smile crossed his features, and his eyes drifted closed as he finally slept with a quiet mind.

When Etaila finally gained consciousness, the sun was fully up, and she could feel it's rays beating down on her back. _What the hell happened?_ She thought to herself, feeling a heachache coming on. She slowly stood up, brushing off her coat before looking at the necklace in her hand. She held it up to her face, watching the silver chain reflect the sun, and watched the black filled jewel with a fond smile on her face. _My necklace… I thought I lost it, but now…_ Now she remembered _everything_. She remembered that someone _took_ her necklace, before leaving for three years. _Hiei. _She didn't want to see him again. And since he had the necklace-

_He must be here. I can't see him._

Now that her mind was set, she promptly started walking down the stairs. As she walked down the steps, she clasped the necklace back on. She suddenly felt whole again; she had forgotten so much, including her powers. She lived like a human for so long, that she forgot that she was even a demon. _It's like realizing that I've been somebody when I was really someone else._ The thought gave her chills, but overall she didn't feel angry with anyone. Rather, she felt _relieved._ After all of this time, she finally had her powers back. With every step she took she could feel the small jewel bounce lightly on her collar, as well as feel its own power settle comfortably in her mind. Yet there was another, newer feeling… Etaila frowned as she turned onto her street. It was as if someone else left a piece of them behind. _How would Hiei be able to do that? And why?_ The thoughts were confusing, but she dropped the subject. It was too late to change anything anyway.

She was just about to enter her apartment when she heard a male voice call out to her. When she turned she saw Adrian running up to her, his hair untamed and a big smile on his face. His eyes were a warm brown, and they shined down at her. Etaila smiled back.

"Hey Adrian. Come on up, I was thinking of making lunch, if Yukina doesn't mind." It sounded like a good plan. She wasn't so sure, however, when Adrian looked at her with a funny expression. "What?" Adrian's smile returned, yet now he looked amused.

"What time is it, Etail'?" The question was simple. Etaila frowned. _What time_ is _it?_ She shook her head at her friend as they walked up to her apartment door. Adrian kept on smiling.

"It's about eight-thirty."

"Is it now?" Etaila sounded genuinely shocked, and Adrian laughed, a wholesome sound that made Etaila smile. _It's great to hear someone laugh so freely. I wonder how Hiei-_ She squashed her thoughts immediately and feebly apologized to Adrian as she opened the door. Yukina appeared to still be sleeping. _I guess I'll make breakfast instead._ Etaila thought to herself as she pulled off her coat and shoes. She heard rustling next to her and took Adrian's coat once he removed it. Once she put their coats and shoes in the closet, she turned to her guest.

"Why don't you wake up Yukina as I prepare breakfast?" Adrian nodded. He made a gesture to her.

"I like your necklace. How do you get the red and purple swirls to move like that?" Etaila froze. _Red?_ Calmly, as to not startle Adrian, she removed the necklace and saw for herself that there were, indeed, a violet and a red swirl in the depths of the ebony filling the hollow pendant. _It's more of a crimson color; kind of like-_ She looked to Adrian, who was staring at the necklace in wonder. _He's human, he's human…_

"… I'm not sure how, it's an optical illusion, I think." Lucky for her, Adrian bought it and walked into Yukina's room, intending to wake her up. Once he was out of sight, Etaila took the necklace back off, watching the swirls as they moved about. It looked normal enough to her; her necklace always had her violet flames, and when dormant, they stayed in her pendant as wisps of smoke. The only difference is the new wisp of smoke, moving gently against the other. _Kind of like it 'cares' for my own flame…_ Would that mean that Hiei cares for her? She shook her head, trying to erase her own thoughts.

"Must make breakfast…"

By the time she laid all the food on the table, it was already nine, and Yukina and Adrian were no where to be found. Etaila felt that she should be smirking, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Not because she didn't want to; she loved teasing those two every chance she got. She quickly placed three plates on the table before walking up to Yukina's door. Etaila knocked softly. No answer. When she knocked again she opened the door a crack and peered inside.

In the middle of Yukina's bed were Yukina and Adrian, and both of them were sleeping soundly with Yukina's head under Adrian's chin. Etaila smiled a little smile before shutting the door. _I guess I'll be having my breakfast alone,_ she thought to herself, feeling a bit empty. She entered the living room and stopped, staring at the table she set up for breakfast. She was hungry, but she really didn't want to eat. The more she thought about her two best friends sleeping peacefully together, the more her appetite was lost. _Well, it's not like pancakes aren't good cold, _she thought with a smile. She walked back into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.

_Since when did I care if I had someone else in my life?_ She thought suddenly, pouring water into the coffee appliance. All that Etaila has thought of was training and school. Ever since she was seventeen. Now she's twenty, and suddenly she wants a boyfriend? A soft vibration was her response, and Etaila's hand flew to her charm. Was it because Hiei was so close now? _But… Hiei hates me…_ she thought sadly to herself, watching as her white coffee mug was being filled.

That really couldn't be the total truth, though. He did take her necklace, _and there must be a reason behind that. I thought he didn't want to see me again._ Her brows furrowed. He _told_ her that he never wanted to see her again, and yet he takes her most precious possession. For _three years._ She fixed her coffee and walked back into the living room, sitting on her couch. With a sigh, she leaned back and crossed her legs, taking a sip of the cream and sugar filled coffee. _And he _wore_ the necklace. That must mean _something. She put down her mug onto the table in front of the couch and held out her hand. She focused on her palm, and within seconds her violet flame appeared, flickering brilliantly. Etaila smiled. So she still can work her magic. She closed her hand, successfully snuffing the fire out. She opened her hand again, this time focusing on the crimson flame. _Wonder if it'll work…_ She focused once more on her palm, and a deep crimson flame appeared, the tip flickering slowly, as if it were swaying. Etaila looked at it curiously, reaching her other hand out to it. When the tips of her fingers brushed the side, the flame _shivered._ Etaila pulled her hand away, frowning. How on earth could fire _shiver?_ She touched it once more, this time her fingers went through it. The flame's color brightened, and it shivered again. She removed her hand once more, confused. It was Hiei's flame; his powers formed it. Does that mean it's connected to him?

_Curious._ Etaila thought to herself. _Very curious._ Suddenly she stood up.

I haven't seen Kurama in a while… 

Hiei woke up with a groan. _I slept in a tree again._ He thought angrily to himself, standing. His back was stiff from leaning awkwardly against the bark. _Kurama's not going to be happy._ He thought to himself, if only to fill his mind with one thought. Kurama was expecting him, and he never got to his home. Hiei sighed before leaping off the tree and walking toward Kurama's home. It wasn't where it used to be; Kurama had left his mother's home and decided to live with Yusuke, who lived in a townhouse closer to their university.

Hiei didn't like all the change that had gone on in the past few years. Not only has Yukina left the temple, but she was also living with _her_. Hiei didn't see Etaila very well, but he could tell that she cut her hair, and she held herself more confidently. _She looked so different and similar at the same time._ Hiei shook his head sharply as he strode over to Kurama's home. Without her necklace, he felt strangely hollowed out. But that's what he wanted, wasn't it? _I want to be independent again._ Having all of her thoughts made him think that he was never alone. _Disturbing._ Hiei was so subdued that he almost passed his friend. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Kurama grabbed his shoulders. When he turned to the redhead, he glowered.

"Don't touch me." Kurama's eyes widened in surprise before composing himself.

"Nice to see you too," he replied dryly, beckoning his old friend into his home. When Hiei stepped in, he noticed right away that the house looked split. It was clean on one side, and disorganized on the other. _I'm surprised Kurama hasn't decided to take control of the house yet._ Hiei thought randomly.

"May I stay here for a little while, fox?" Hiei asked lightly. Kurama looked at him warily, taking in his form. There was something wrong here. Something very wrong.

"You were supposed to be here yesterday."

"I was delayed."

"By what? You don't know where Yukina lives."

Silence.

Kurama searched his friend's tired face. Oh yes, something was terribly wrong. Kurama shrugged.

"You may stay here for as long as you need. You can sleep in my room. Why don't you take off your shoes and we can talk a little." It sounded like a question, but Hiei knew that Kurama was being serious. They were going to _talk._ Hiei sighed to himself, and as he bent over to remove his shoes, he missed the widened gaze of his friend.

_I wonder if I'm really looking at Hiei, or some clone._ It was a ridiculous thought, but this _was _the first time he has ever heard Hiei make some kind of distressed and worn out sound.

_Something is **definitely** wrong._

End of Chapter 11-

A/N: So there you have it. It actually took me a while to finish, and I didn't know where to end, so I just ended it with Kurama. You didn't think I forgot him, did you? He might be important in this story. As for Yukina and Adrian, they were only sleeping, _nothing else_, I swear ;;;. Hiei is a bit OOC, but hopefully everything will make sense in the next chapter, which may be coming sooner than you think. Whoooo knooows… o.o


	12. Ech, the end

A/N: Sorry I'm a little late. I've been having writer's block with this story, since I want to finish it before starting another story. I apologize if I push everything in at once. I'd really like this story to be over in two more chapters. We shall see how it goes along when I'm finished writing up this chapter.

Thanks again to all who review, I greatly appreciate your comments!

Last time: Hiei has come over to Kurama's, asking him for a place to live.

Kurama watched his friend's movements carefully. From quick fingers removing boots to feet stepping softly on the plush carpet in his living room, Kurama searched for anything that might give off that Hiei was different in any way. Kurama had found none so far, and he leaned back on his chair with a sigh, following Hiei until he sat down on the leather loveseat across from him. When the fire demon finally looked up to Kurama, the youko finally saw the change.

Hiei's eyes were tired and worn out.

"What happened to you?" Kurama asked bluntly, moving to the edge of the chair. He leaned his elbows on his knees, peering into Hiei's eyes. The vibrant crimson color he once saw was now faded and dim, and Kurama couldn't help but frown at Hiei when he shrugged his shoulders and sprawled himself over the loveseat.

"…Nothing happened to me, fox. I'm just a little tired—"

"_You?_ Tired?" Kurama rose an eyebrow at Hiei's hesitant pause. "Why don't you tell what's really been going on."

Hiei looked to Kurama, only to look away again as his friend bored his eyes into him. It was always hard to avoid talking about anything when Kurama is worried. _And apparently, he's been very worried about me._ Hiei put on a bitter smile before shaking his head.

"I've been gone for three years, and before I left, I took something from Etaila." Hiei paused, and Kurama simply looked at him, urging him on. "I took her necklace."

"Why?" Hiei hesitated again. Kurama leaned back again, fingering his red hair. What is this all about?

"I took it… I don't know why I took it." Hiei hung his head. "But when I had it, I had all of her memories. Her thoughts, her dreams, her emotions… her feelings for me." Hiei sighed once more and ran a hand through unruly black hair. "And now that they're gone, I feel like I lost a piece of myself." The two sat in silence for a while, Hiei watching his friend's reaction, and Kurama narrowing his eyes, pondering over Hiei's words. When he finally replied, his words were soft, almost as if he was talking to himself.

"That's why she couldn't remember you." Hiei looked surprised, but Kurama continued. "After Yukina told me what happened, I came over and asked her if she was alright. She smiled brightly at me and told me that there weren't any problems, and that she was applying for college." A dull pain distracted Hiei for a moment, but he shook it off, glaring at nothing in particular. Just when he was about to say something Kurama looked at him, his green eyes focusing on his own red ones.

"Do you have any feelings for her at all, Hiei?" Hiei looked wide-eyed at his friend, a slight flush of pink now forming across his cheeks. No one would have noticed the blush if they just looked at the demon. But Kurama saw it. He smiled just as the doorbell rang.

"That's good." When it didn't appear that Kurama was going to answer the door, Hiei got up to open it. _Do I really like this demon, or was it just the necklace?_ When he opened the door to Kurama's home, Hiei froze. All of the doubting thoughts in his mind fled and he couldn't help but stare at the demon in front of himself.

_Etaila…_

_  
_

While Etaila was walking down the street to Kurama and Yusuke's home, she started to finally remember everything that was trapped within the necklace. It was odd, the necklace; she only had her memories, but some of Hiei's powers rested within the pendent. _But why? It is because of how I feel about him?_ She finally accepted that Hiei was the one she should be with, but it wasn't easy. _He hates me…_ she thought to herself, approaching Kurama's door and ringing the bell. She shrugged. _It doesn't matter. It's not like I'll be seeing him anytime —_ The door opened. —_soon..? _When the door opened, there stood Hiei, his eyes a little wide in surprise. Etaila felt her own eyes widen and a blush rushing to her cheeks. _He's… grown a bit._

It was true; Hiei was now as tall as Kurama, and he had to look down slightly to meet her eyes. Etaila watched as Hiei's eyes trailed over her face down to the necklace she was now wearing. Etaila looked at the demon in front of her in confusion. His eyes suddenly brightened, and she felt pulled to him.

Her body didn't quite feel like her own as she walked up to him. She felt a rush as she felt an arm wrap around her waist and a hand in her hair. She resisted at first, but something in her restless mind settled. _He wants to do this._ Her necklace vibrated against her collar as she gently stroked his cheek before pulling him down to her, closing her eyes. When she left his lips hovering over her own, Etaila opened her eyes again, looking up into blood red irises. She pushed up a bit, and their lips grazed briefly. Hiei's eyes flashed, and he vaguely heard Kurama asking who was at the door just as his lips pressed against hers. Etaila pressed back up eagerly, and her mind hummed pleasantly. When she felt his tongue against her lips, she opened up to him and their kiss deepened.

Something was wrong though. Etaila could feel it. Something wasn't being done at the moment, and something inside her broke free, though it was something she was unfamiliar with. With a force that surprised herself, Etaila pulled Hiei closer to her, their bodies touching. Suddenly her flames were let loose, and the violet fire rushed up her body, making her gasp. Hiei's tongue massaged hers gently, and once again Etaila felt something was wrong. Was Hiei doing this on his own? With regret Etaila pulled away, her flames still surrounding them. When Hiei made another attempt to capture her lips Etaila turned her head and tried to move away, only to find that she couldn't move, nor could she make her flames return to her necklace. What was going on?

"Well, hello Etaila." Etaila blushed considerably, looking behind Hiei to find Kurama looking at her as if being trapped against a person was a normal occurrence. She giggled nervously, once again trying to free herself and failing. _Why can't I control them anymore? _She looked back up at Hiei, who was watching her intently. Suddenly she felt angry.

"You… you shouldn't have kissed me!" Etaila exclaimed, her grey eyes going silver in her growing fury. "It's been _three years_, Hiei, and now out of the blue you come down here and- ruin everything!" Kurama tried to calm her, but she ignored him in favor of poking Hiei in the chest. "Even now you won't say anything. The last time you were here, you told me that you never wanted to see me again, that you 'didn't want me,'" she spat bitterly, trying to call her flames back in another futile attempt. "What changed your mind, huh? Now that you know my every thought, you decided to give me some slack or something?" Tears were forming in her eyes now, and she turned her head down sharply to hide them.

Hiei watched her silently. What was he supposed to say? That he loved her? He shook his head. That wasn't the way he worked. _And I can't love her; I don't know her._ But somewhere in the back of his mind reminded him that he did indeed know her. He had all of her memories going back to her childhood. He knew her better than anyone else.

Then why couldn't he think of anything to say?

"I don't pity you," he began, wanting to touch the girl's hair but didn't move. "I just… had things and people telling me to give you a chance. People believe that you could make me happy," he looked to Kurama, "And that I could make _you _happy." He put a hand on the back of her neck, feeling the soft skin against his palms. He felt the muscles tense beneath his fingers and smiled slightly when Etaila finally raised her head to look at him. She searched his face for any signs of him lying before giving him a small smile of her own. She shook her head.

"I don't know why I'm buying that, but I will, since I know that you're meant for me, whether we like it or not." Her necklace hummed in agreement. Kurama, forgotten in the moment, cleared his throat.

"Well, now that we have that covered… how do you suppose you get out of this predicament?" Etaila bit her lip thoughtfully, and Hiei watched her for a little while before leaning down and nibbling her lower lip. Etaila let out a high sound before backing away. Kurama nodded.

"It seems that the flames are some kind of bond." Etaila looked to Kurama. _Bond?_ Suddenly her earlier thoughts sprung into her mind. _Violet and red swirls… _Smiling mischievously, Etaila quickly pulled Hiei into a kiss, shivering at the low sound he gave off at her forwardness. Without thinking she summoned the crimson flame. The fire swooped out of her necklace and surrounded the two demons and into the violet flames already around them. The two colors swirled together, and abruptly Etaila's charm shattered, the glass turning into powder before scattering away into the flames. As fast as they had come the flames dissipated, leaving Etaila and Hiei holding each other freely. When they separated Etaila smirked, crossing her arms.

"I knew you'd come back to me." Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Hn. Just come here." As they reached for each other again they heard Kurama chuckling in the background.

End of chapter 12-

A/N: Bleh! Oh my, this is not the ending I expected. I plan to write an epilogue by next week, for those who are curious about what happens to Yukina and Adrian… and stuff. I really dislike this ending, but like I said I really wanted to end this, and here it is… ;;; please review.


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